By Richard Pagliaro | Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Feliciano Lopez dispatched No. 5 seed Kei Nishikori, 6-4, 7-6 (2) to advance to the Indian Wells quarterfinals for the first time.
Photo credit: corleve/Mark Peterson
Feliciano Lopez raised the ball high in the air. The server's standard courtesy gesture signaling new balls in play took on special significance today.
Facing one of the best returners in the game, Lopez spent much of this day denying Kei Nishikori long looks at his serve.
Murray: Good Riddance As Odesnik Retires After 15-Year Doping Ban
The 33-year-old Spaniard slammed 12 aces bouncing Nishikori out of the BNP Paribas Open, 6-4, 7-6 (2) to advance to the tournament quarterfinals for the first time.
The fifth-seeded Japanese is the highest seed to fall from the draw so far. Nishikori had more break-point chances, but Lopez was better on big points. He saved six of seven break points and converted both of his break-point opportunities.
Trailing 4-5 in the opener, Nishikori played his worst game of the match and it cost him the opening set.
"I think I really had one bad game at 5-4," Nishikori said. "I think until then I was playing better. I think I was dominating the strokes. I mean, he was hitting good serves, but I had all the chances. Yeah, but just one bad game at 5-4. I think that's all that matters today's match."
Nishikori came out with a clear game plan: Hammer Lopez's one-handed backhand to create mid-court opportunities. Given Lopez's forehand is a more penetrating shot that his backhand it was a sound strategy and one Nishikori effectively employed winning their last two meetings.
Lopez countered keeping his slice backhand low on the gritty hard court and occasionally surprising Nishikori by cracking a topspin backhand into the corner.
The son of a tennis coach, the left-hander's service motion is so smooth it should be silkscreened on t-shirts as an instructional guide. He dropped just seven points on his first serve in the match. Lashing a 136 mph ace, Lopez held at love for a one set, 4-1 lead.
Nishikori wasn't done yet. He earned triple break point in the seventh game of the second set only to see Lopez erase all three. The No. 12 seed hit his second double fault of the day to face a fourth break point.
Attacking net, Lopez played his volley down the line trying to go behind his opponent. Nishikori answered with a low backhand pass and when Lopez's stab volley crawled on top of the tape, settling back on his side, Nishikori had his lone break of the match for 3-4.
Three of the prior 10 sets these two played were decided in tie breaks; none of their prior five meetings went past two sets. Nishikori, who was 21-3 in decisive sets in 2014, pushed it into the tie break then Lopez shoved him right out of the tournament.
Nishikori felt the nerves clanking his first double fault of the day to donate the mini-break and a 2-1 lead. When the U.S. Open finalist sprayed a forehand, Lopez had a second mini break and a 4-2 tie break advantage.
A booming blast down the T brought the Spaniard to match point. Lopez unleashed one final serve and volley to close an impressive win. He will face nemesis Andy Murray next. The fourth-ranked Scot has shutout Lopez winning all nine of their career encounters, but it's always special when they play. Murray's mom, Judy, is a Lopez fan who dubbed the Spaniard "Deliciano" for his model looks.